This is what Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman has suggested after playing against Houston Texans rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson on Sunday.
Watson threw for 403 yards, four touchdown and three interceptions against Seattle’s vaunted defense. The Seahawks beat the Texans 41-38 when Russell Wilson hit Jimmy Graham for the winning score with 18 seconds left.
It was certainly the most exciting game of the day. I actually saw part of it while sitting at a bar waiting for the Dodgers to start. And yes, Watson is pretty impressive, especially for a rookie.
However, I wouldn’t go as far as Sherman went.
Sherman was asked what he’d say to Watson after the game. This was his reply.
“I’ll tell you,” Sherman said. “‘You played the best game any quarterback has ever played against us, and we’ve played all the legends. I respect how you hung in there and kept battling and battling.’”
Granted, Seattle has been a house of horrors for the Packers and Aaron Rodgers. So it’s impressive that Watson walked in there and put up 400 yards and four touchdowns.
I would point out, however, that 72 of those yards came on a receiver screen that DeAndre Hopkins took to the house. In fact, 224 of Watson’s yards went to Hopkins.
See what it’s like to have an actual true top-tier receiver, Packers fans?
As you know, the Packers opened the season with the Seahawks. Rodgers threw for 311 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 17-9 Packers’ home win. His rating was about 20 points lower than Watson’s was on Sunday.
So you can definitely say Watson played better against Seattle than Rodgers did this year. However, Sherman is already ready to put him among the best.
“My God, Houston’s so lucky. By next year he’s going to be a top-five quarterback in this league, and that includes the two big dogs [Tom Brady and Rodgers]. He makes you dig to the deepest part of your competitive juices to beat him.”
Again, I’m not ready to jump to that conclusion. The kid is good. I wouldn’t say he’s Aaron Rodgers.
Ironically, when he was coming out in the draft, Watson noted that he tried to model his game after Aaron Rodgers. So maybe one day he will be.
+ Watson, unlike Rodgers, is not a liar or a smug prick. As far as I know he does not have those Aaron Rodgers “qualities”.
I found it amusing how you tried to chip away and diminish Watson’s performance by saying 72 yards were on a screen and 224 to a “true top-tier receiver”. Rodgers has gotten plenty of yardage via YAC in his time. Sure, Jordy is no longer a “true top-tier receiver” but he was — Rodgers had, what, 5 or 6 years of top-tier Jordy? Greg Jennings in his hey days was as top-tier as Hopkins as well.
It’s just funny because when Rodgers did well I didn’t see you chipping away saying this, that, screen, YAC, just because the receivers are so good, etc.
Didn’t read this